A Republican state senator said Democrat Phil Murphy incorrectly described New Jersey as “stronger and fairer” in his final State of the State address after eight years as governor.
“I’ve only seen New Jersey get weaker and poorer, and I would challenge Governor Murphy: who is New Jersey stronger and fairer for?” said Sen. Mike Testa (R-Cumberland), who gave the Republican response to Murphy’s more than hour-long address.
Testa criticized increased spending, affordability issues, a rising median age of first-time home buyers and an alleged outward migration of young people to lower-cost states. Though Murphy built a multibillion-dollar state surplus that helped the state’s credit rating, Republicans say that will run out quickly.
“Governor Murphy addressed the issue of a surplus. We don’t have a surplus. We actually have a $4 billion structural deficit right now,” Testa said.
He also faulted Murphy’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, when government-mandated shutdowns led to widespread business failures.
“He talked about how many small businesses opened during his tenure,” Testa said. “Let’s talk about the one-third of all small businesses that had to shut their doors forever.”
Despite their clear political differences, Testa acknowledged the success of certain pieces of legislation that he championed under Murphy, including a $100 million boardwalk preservation fund.
“I give him high marks in that — he didn’t need to sign it,” he said. “That helped restore so many of our boardwalks,” particularly those in tourist-heavy Wildwood and North Wildwood.
We’re in this together.
For a better-informed future.
Support our nonprofit newsroom.
